Other editions of book Dreaming the Bear

A vivid sense of the wilderness and nature’s power comes through in this intriguing and tension-filled YA novel narrated by a contemporary teen. Perfect for animal lovers, this unusual novel has hints of the quirky charm of Geek Girl and the emotional depth of The Last Leaves Falling. Darcy’s dad, a naturalist, moves their family from England to the snowy wilderness of Yellowstone National Park. Mum, Dad, and older brother Jem are all thriving, but Darcy misses her friends, and civilization, including WiFi. She’s also sick, getting weaker with each day, and having strange dreams—or are they something else? Then she finds an injured mother bear whose cubs were killed by hunters. The bear is enormous, and powerful, but she doesn’t threaten Darcy—she makes Darcy feel alive. The bear needs Darcy just as much as Darcy needs her. Darcy must help her, even though she might not be well enough to take care of the bear, let alone herself. A mystery illness, shifting points of view, and dreamlike sequences make this an unusual and immersive story. Darcy is brave and resourceful, but nothing has prepared her to confront nature’s ultimate question: Can a girl and a wild bear triumph over the basic rule of survival: kill or be killed?

A vivid sense of the wilderness and nature’s power comes through in this intriguing and tension-filled YA novel narrated by a contemporary teen. Perfect for animal lovers, this unusual novel has hints of the quirky charm of Geek Girl and the emotional depth of The Last Leaves Falling. Darcy’s dad, a naturalist, moves their family from England to the snowy wilderness of Yellowstone National Park. Mum, Dad, and older brother Jem are all thriving, but Darcy misses her friends, and civilization, including WiFi. She’s also sick, getting weaker with each day, and having strange dreams—or are they something else? Then she finds an injured mother bear whose cubs were killed by hunters. The bear is enormous, and powerful, but she doesn’t threaten Darcy—she makes Darcy feel alive. The bear needs Darcy just as much as Darcy needs her. Darcy must help her, even though she might not be well enough to take care of the bear, let alone herself. A mystery illness, shifting points of view, and dreamlike sequences make this an unusual and immersive story. Darcy is brave and resourceful, but nothing has prepared her to confront nature’s ultimate question: Can a girl and a wild bear triumph over the basic rule of survival: kill or be killed?

"When I get up, there's nobody home. Even Mum has gone out. The note says, 'I have to check my emails. I'll snowmobile to the meltline and be back soon. XX Mummy'. And I think, 'Good. I can feed my bear...'" Darcy's life was never exactly simple, but it was about to become a lot more complicated. Recovering from a distressing illness in her parents' cabin surrounded by looming pine trees, Darcy spends most of her days alone, warming herself by the log fire. That is, until she ventures into the woods hours before a heavy snowstorm, and finds herself face-to-face with a grizzly bear. Their encounter takes a surprising turn when it flourishes into a warm and caring companionship. Set against the beautiful backdrop of the snowy Yellowstone National Park in Montana, Mimi Thebo's poetic tale inspires compassion and friendship, sensitively focusing on how the seemingly impossible can become the achievable.

A vivid sense of the wilderness and nature’s power comes through in this intriguing and tension-filled YA novel narrated by a contemporary teen. Perfect for animal lovers, this unusual novel has hints of the quirky charm of Geek Girl and the emotional depth of The Last Leaves Falling. Darcy’s dad, a naturalist, moves their family from England to the snowy wilderness of Yellowstone National Park. Mum, Dad, and older brother Jem are all thriving, but Darcy misses her friends, and civilization, including WiFi. She’s also sick, getting weaker with each day, and having strange dreams—or are they something else? Then she finds an injured mother bear whose cubs were killed by hunters. The bear is enormous, and powerful, but she doesn’t threaten Darcy—she makes Darcy feel alive. The bear needs Darcy just as much as Darcy needs her. Darcy must help her, even though she might not be well enough to take care of the bear, let alone herself. A mystery illness, shifting points of view, and dreamlike sequences make this an unusual and immersive story. Darcy is brave and resourceful, but nothing has prepared her to confront nature’s ultimate question: Can a girl and a wild bear triumph over the basic rule of survival: kill or be killed?